Chase Young is back with the Commanders for Washington’s voluntary offseason workouts, but he’s not practicing, and he has no timetable for his full return from ACL rehab. That’s what the star pass rusher told reporters Wednesday, though the former No. 2 overall pick took an optimistic tone when describing his health, saying he’s happy with his progress ahead of the 2022 season.
“I felt good,” Young said of his return to team facilities. “Ain’t nothing bringing me down. I feel good. I feel good to be back, getting around the guys, watching them run around, trying to give them all the energy I can give them.”
Asked about his own availability following the ACL tear last November that ended his second season after just nine games, Young indicated he’s getting closer to on-field work but had no specifics regarding a return to practice.
“I’m running,” he said. “I’ve squatted some substantial amount of weight — I ain’t gonna put no numbers out there. But every day is going as planned. I’m happy where I’m at. And I’m confident on everything I’m doing going forward.”
Typically, the recovery timetable for ACL tears is between eight and 12 months, though some NFL players have returned quicker than that. An eight-month rehab from the date of Young’s injury, Nov. 14, would end in mid-July, when the Commanders are set to kick off training camp.
No matter when the 23-year-old Young returns, he’s expected to play a massive role along Ron Rivera’s front as the Commanders’ top pass rusher. The Ohio State product finished with just 1.5 sacks during his injury-shortened 2021 season, but he was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2020, logging 7.5 sacks, 12 quarterback hits and 10 tackles for loss to help Washington’s defense advance to the playoffs.
